Mario & Luigi: Star Power
by ML760
Summary: A new evil threatens the entire world. Only two plumbers and their allies are able to stop it. Will they succeed? Or will the darkness take over once more...
1. Introduction, Act I

_I will tell you a story..._

_Of a land not so distant away..._

_Long ago, a great and vile corruptness threatened to destroy this land._

_The mighty Star Sprites then used their powers of the light to seal away the evil._

_By placing their combined powers together, the threat was sealed away blissfully._

_Their powers are kept inside the Star Temple, located in the center of the land._

_If this sacred place were to be destroyed, then the corruption could once again escape, and endanger the land once more._

_Fortunately, none have ever been successful in so, as even the temple's existence is uncertain._

In the farthest reaches of the known world, inside a dark fortress, stood a mysterious figure.

"For centuries the Star Temple has been sitting, intact," he spoke, staring at an ancient interpretation of said temple.

"All the power inside, wasted!" he sighed, but put a sly grin on his face, "If I could harness such power, I could finally reign over this pitiful land."

Reaching an arm, he grabbed a black staff placed next to him. It released terrible vibes of evil, and one could feel terrified simply by looking at it.

"Fortunately, I've been storing enough power now," he said, inspecting his weapon, "I can finally destroy the star power, and release the sealed corruption!"

"The world will come under my control, the Dark Lord Methias! All will bow down to me, or be destroyed completely!" he declared, pointing his staff at the ceiling vigorously.

"If I am able to grasp the power of the corrupted evil, my empire can even extend to the farthest reaches of outer space! The universe will be mine!" he began laughing menacingly.

Five smaller figures approached Methias, each one bowing to their master. The middle one stood up.

"But, my lord, are you sure it is even possible to take control of such power?" The dark lord simply chuckled.

"With this staff," he announced, giving it a spin," I can force the evil to bend to my will, obeying me like a little pet."

The five minions began a series of hushed murmurs, before looking back up at their lord.

"Yes, my lord. We are ready to head to the Star Temple at this moment, sir!" Methias smiled, and ordered his loyal minions to their stations.

"Very well then. My master plan will soon take action, and I will reap from the benefits!"

Focusing his energy, the figure levitated upwards and flew out an open window, cackling the whole way.


	2. Introduction, Act II

On the edges of Toad Town, in a humble cottage with a red roof, lay our hero Mario. He was dozing off, having wonderful dreams of ravioli and spaghetti. His brother, Luigi, sat in the kitchen area, reading a book. It was a peaceful day of doing absolutely nothing. Just what the plumbers wanted.

That would come to change, however.

"AAAAH!" the green plumber cried as a series of bangs knocked on the front door. Luigi was so fearful that he lept under the kitchen table, before realizing he was perfectly fine.

"Phew!" he sighed in relief, getting back up. Mario, being abruptly awoken by the knocking and his brother's screams. "Who's there?" Mario asked, rubbing his eyes awake.

"Special delivery for the Mario Bros. from Princess Peach!" the voice answered. Eagerly, Mario swung the door open, nearly hitting Luigi in the face. A toad with a satchel was on the other side.

"Good morning, Mario and Luigi! I have a letter from the Princess!" the delivery toad announced. He handed the letter to Mario, and took off in the opposite direction, heading to his next mailing destination.

"A letter from Peach? Let's see what we got here!" Mario exclaimed, opening the letter with an excited grin. Luigi gave Mario his full attention as he began reading it.

_Dear Mario and Luigi,_

_I've decided to take a trip on vacation, and you're both invited to come along. Toadsworth introduced me to a far-away place called Haya Island. I heard it has amazing sights to see, and many people! I think it'd be wonderful if you two could join us on this journey._

_We'll be waiting for you at the castle. Don't be long!_

_Yours truly,_

_Princess Peach_

"Vacation! How does that sound, Luigi?" Mario asked, showing the letter to his brother. "I'd love to go!" Luigi exclaimed.

"So it's settled. Let's get packing!" Mario hurriedly began packing his suitcase immediately, not wanting to waste a single second. Luigi followed suit, packing an extra pair of overalls incase of an 'emergency'.

The brothers quickly moved towards the castle, carrying their stuffed suitcases. They passed through Toad Town and headed to the castle gate. Two toads, wielding spears, opened the way in.

"Thanks, you two!" Mario waved to the guards, and stepped inside the castle. Toadette was waiting for them inside, and she began excitedly hopping up and down.

"Mario! Luigi! Peach and Toadsworth are waiting for you at the airstrip!" she announced, pointing a finger to their destination. Mario gave her a thumbs up and the pair continued down the castle halls.

Finally, they reached the back of the castle, where the airstrip was located. The Princess's pink plane was awaiting them, its propeller already spinning.

"There you two are! I'm so glad you decided to come with! Hurry now, we're about to leave!" Peach waved, motioning towards the plane.

"Master Mario, Master Luigi! It's good to see you two. C'mon then!" Toadsworth ordered, pushing the exhausted plumbers inside the plane. "Can we- can we take a break first?" Luigi huffed, desperate for air. The plumbers sat down on a pair of soft pink chairs. Peach and Toadsworth sat on the side opposite of them.

"Now we have to wait for one more person," the Mushroom Princess explained. The brothers glanced at eachother.

"Who_ else was missing? I thought she said it was just her, Toadsworth, and us,_" Mario thought, racking his brain for any clues.

Fortunately, he did not have to think for long, as a bubbly voice snapped him to attention:

"Hello yello! Sorry for being late, _again_..." It was none other than Starlow. Mario and Luigi both shared an epiphany at the same moment. The floating yellow star ball smiled when she saw the bros.

"Hey Mario and Luigi! Peach invited me to come too, and I had nothing else going on, so I said why not!" she exclaimed. Mario smiled, glad to have another companion for the ride, "That's great!" he told her.

The plane door finally shut itself, and the plane's engine whirred as the plane made its way down the airstrip. At that moment, a message over the intercom was broadcasted:

"Attention passengers of the Peach Private Jet! We are about to takeoff, please have your seatbelts on at all times! Thank you, and have a nice flight."

The group fastened their seatbelts; minus Starlow, who just awkwardly sat on a chair. Star sprites are not used to actually sitting down, as they hover for their entire lives. Regardless, the plane took off down the airstrip, and into the air. Toadsworth already began snoozing, which didn't really surprise anyone.

"I don't really know much of this Haya Island place," Mario sheepishly admitted. He'd never heard of the place at all, in fact. "Mind telling us a little bit, princess?"

"Certainly! It's a large island—think of Isle Delfino—with several cities located on it, each with its own unique culture!" Peach explained. Mario began to tune her out, as she droned on and on. Something that piqued his interest, however, was when Peach mentioned a mysterious legend.

"...According to local myth, an ancient temple lies in the center of the island. Long ago, many great star sprites were said to have combined their powers to seal away a great evil on the island. Well, that's what they say, atleast. Nobody even knows the temple's true whereabouts," Peach sighed, giving it some thought. Starlow was attentively listening, replying "Star Sprites, huh? Since I'm a Star Sprite, I bet I could find that temple thingy!"

"Wait, Starlow, has anyone mentioned that place to you before?" Luigi asked. Starlow shook her head, "Nope! Never heard of it 'till today!"

Toadsworth had woken himself after hearing the chattering, and barged into the conversation, "If I may, I believe all that talk of myths and legends is total hogwash!"

"How can you be so sure, Toadsworth?" The Mushroom princess asked him. The old toad chuckled. "If there's no solid evidence of the Star Temple's existence, then it probably doesn't exist at all!" He declared, boasting with confidence.

Luigi yawned and stretched his arms out, still feeling a bit tired. "I'm going to rest up a bit," he announced, leaning his chair back. "That's actually a good idea, Luigi. I'll need plenty of energy to be able to do all the sightseeing I'm planning!" Peach gushed, extremely excited to be visiting a completely new location.

The others agreed, and began resting themselves for the long journey ahead.


	3. Introduction, Act III

Methias landed in the middle of an outcropping, located inside a dense jungle. The outcropping was mostly bare and empty, save for a few rocks and shrubs. Eyeing the area, he smiled a crooked grin. Beside him, his five loyal minions landed with a Thud.

"This is the location of the Star Temple," the dark lord declared. His minions looked at him with a confused glare.

"But, my lord. there is nothing here!" The middle one spoke again. He shifted nervously as Methias approached him.

"You see, Koro, the Star Sprites believed they could hide it. But thanks to my magic, I can uncover it once and for all!" The figure known as Koro stood back and nodded, gulping. Methias grabbed his staff of darkness, and aimed it towards open air infront of him. A swirl of purple clouds formed around the top of the staff. A vile beam of corruption poured out of his weapon. The beam collided with something; a dome-like structure.

"You don't mean-" Koro started, cut off by Methias, "Yes. They installed an invisible dome, disguising the temple as any other spot on the map."

Twisting his wand a bit, Methias continued hitting the shield beam after beam, before it began to crack, and then shatter. Soon the entire dome collapsed, revealing what was hidden inside.

"So it is real..." the leftmost minion spoke, perplexed at the situation.

In the formerly empty outcropping, sat a massive stone building, covered in moss. It had a ring-like structure on the top, supported by large marble pillars. A big pedestal was in the middle of the temple, forming the shape of a star.

"Hehehe! Hohoho!" laughed his minions, eager to set their master plan into motion. Methias cackled, before continuing into the Star Temple.

Once inside, he was immediately assaulted by a series of frail voices.

"_You cannot defeat our power, 'dark lord',_" spoke a male voice, warning Methias, who continued trudging on.

"_Only those pure hearted may step foot into this temple,"_ said yet another voice, this time female. Methias chuckled, "You think I'm scared of you stars? I broke your protective dome, and that was just the beginning of my capabilities."

There was a silence, before once more a voice spoke, "_Very well..._". It was at that moment that several beams of light danced out of the temple walls, going straight for Methias. Startled at first, he failed to prevent one from reaching him. It stung, but wasn't enough to weaken him. Using his staff, he expertly dodged and destroyed more beams of light using his dark power. His minions had joined the battle as well, blocking the star attacks with their sharp blades.

Over time, the attacks became more infrequent and lost their strength, leading Methias to believe the guardian Star power was finally weakened.

"Fools! Incompetent fools! You have played right into my hand! With your strength gone, I can finally unleash the true power of my darkness!"

Several of the frail voices began talking again, becoming more fearful and agitated. Charging up his staff, he felt a surge of power course through his entire being. He struck the staff handle into the center of the star pedestal, leaving it stuck there as it continued its power surge. Storm clouds began forming as a terrifying purple beam shot straight up into the sky from the black orb at the top of Methias's staff. Cautiously, his minions took a few steps back, expecting some sort of explosion.

As the sky turned darker, a thin layer of evil began surrounding the temple. Flocks of birds fled the trees of the surrounding jungle, as winds hit record speeds and thunder began booming. Methias began cackling loudly, savoring this fine moment in his career of evil. The staff began to vibrate as the beam in the sky grew and grew. Methias quickly used his magic to cast a shield around himself and his posse, protecting them from any dangers.

As the staff reached levels of enormous energy, the pressure mounted up finally gave up. Purple cracks shot out through the ground as the earth violently shook. The cracks flew out in five directions, and began splitting the earth itself.

"Thanks to my power, Haya Island will be divided, and I will be free to begin my reign as Dark Lord!" Methias declared, his grin only growing wider.

"All hail our great lord!" chanted his minions, proud to be witnessing his greatest moment themselves.


	4. Introduction, Act IV

Mario was shaken awake by his brother, who eagerly had something to show him. "Mario, look! We can see Haya Island!"

"Great, woken up twice like that in one day..." Mario grumbled, wishing he could be all cozy in his bed back home.

"The brochure didn't lie, that island is humongous!" Peach exclaimed, surprised at the sight in front of her.

Looking out the plane windows, they could see the entire island. It was made up of a diverse set of regions. The south was populated by plains and grasslands, and a few small cities could be spotted. To the west, lay a large desert, with a single oasis. Eastward sat miles of swampland, with several small ponds and lakes. To the north was many mountain peaks, topped with crystal white snow. In the center of the island there was a huge jungle rainforest.

"It's amazing..." Starlow had never seen any place like it. To be so diverse in geography but yet part of a single island was a feat few could claim. It almost looked bigger than Isle Delfino as well.

Mario too was quite shocked, and he tried absorbing the view infront of him as much as he could. Looking near the center jungle, however, he began to feel that something was not right. A chill ran down his spine, and he gasped when a beam of purple suddenly shot up into the sky, obscuring much of the visible Sun.

"In Miyamoto's name!" cried Toadsworth, followed by the entire plane entering a panick. "What is that?!" demanded Starlow, beginning to fear the worst. The beam began glowing, as it grew in size, becoming more agitated as a result. The sky began to go dark, as storm clouds formed around the plane. High winds shook the plane furiously, as the pilot struggled to maintain control.

"Look! At the island!" Luigi yelped, shivering in utter fear. He'd rather be in a ghost-infested mansion than over here, that's for sure. The group once again gasped as huge cracks of purple emerged from the center of the island, spreading across the land like a disease. The earth below visibly shook, as the dark magic bended the very will of the earth.

The cracks began splitting apart, and slowly but surely the island was split into pieces right in front of their eyes. It happened so fast that nobody could register it in time. Other changes began occurring as well, but they were forced to shift their attention elsewhere.

"I can't hold on! She's breaking up!" cried the pilot, losing control to the powerful gusts of wind assaulting the jet. The vehicle nosedived at an almost 90-degree angle, and the wings threatened to break off.

"HOLD ON!" yelled Princess Peach, scrambling to wrap her arms around a seat. The others followed suit, and Starlow using her teeth to hold on to something. Luigi began weeping as he feared his death had finally arrived.

Miraculously, the plane began to normalize its descent, albeit still in a risky position. After a couple terrifying minutes, the pilot had steadied the plane enough to be able to make a landing on the nearby Haya International Airport. Finally touching solid ground, the jet sped at such speeds that they could barely slow themselves down. Even worse, other planes were obstructing the airstrip, forcing them to maneuver off-course.

The jet finally skid to a halt, in similar fashion to their trip to Isle Delfino. Mario quickly stood up and dusted himself off. "Is everyone alright?" he asked, concerned for his friends' safety. "I'm OK!" exclaimed Luigi, giving Mario a thumbs up. Miraculously, nobody was hurt.

"I'm fine as well," replied Peach, making sure Toadsworth and the pilot were ok. She opened the cabin door, and saw the poor pilot. He had fainted from all the stress of this flight. Toadsworth was regaining his senses, but as soon as he noticed the princess he began firing a salvo of questions concerning her wellbeing.

"So uh, what the HELL JUST HAPPENED?!" Starlow demanded, remembering the past events. They had witnessed the possible destruction of Haya Island, and right on their vacation too.

"That is no language for a Star Sprite!" Toadsworth snapped, shaking his cane at Starlow. "We don't have time for arguing, you two!" Peach yelled. The two groaned and finally shut up.

At that moment two blue Shy Guys approached the group, arms flailing in worry.

"Hello?! Are you all alright?! The airport is in a state of emergency!" they cried, clearly aware of the island's newfound predicaments. They quite literally dragged Mario and the others inside the airport, where a large crowd of desperate people had formed. Several security guards and staff were attempting to calm the situation.

"Please, calm down everyone! We're trying to get this under control!" frantically begged a koopa. But the crowd would not stop their barrage of desperate questions.

"What happened to the island?!"

"Are we safe?"

"How are we going to the other regions now?!"

"Does this mean the donut shop is closed?"

Mario and co. formed a group huddle to discuss their next course of action.

"Alright, uhh... what should we do?" the red plumber asked, feeling clueless as to what to do.

"Everything seems to be quite in a pickle. I suggest we ask for directions to the nearest city and look from there!" Toadsworth recommended.

Princess Peach gave Toadsworth a nod, agreeing with his idea. Luigi and Starlow had no better suggestions, and gave the old toad their approval.

"It's a plan! Let's get a move on, then." Mario ordered. He stepped towards the nearest staff member, a green Shy Guy, who was frantically typing something on his computer.

"Excuse me, mister. Can you tell us where the nearest city is?" he asked. The nervous shy guy turned to Mario and said "The whole world was just split apart and you're asking me this?!" He gasped and quickly covered his mouth. "My-my apologies! I'm just so nervous! I-ah.. the nearest city is not far from here. Just t-take the warp pipe outside!"

"Thanks...? I guess." Starlow replied, giving the Shy Guy a confused stare. "Well, you heard the man. A warp pipe!" Mario said, waving the group towards the airport's front doors. The glass door automatically opened itself as the party approached.

Immediately outside were several warp pipes, each one in a different color. The red warp pipe had a sign attached to it, which read: "Koka City", the capital of the region. Peach immediately recognized the name.

She gleefully exclaimed: "That's it! I remember reading about this city! That's where we have to go." She dashed into the pipe.

"P-princess! Wait up!" cried Toadsworth, jumping in right behind her. Mario and Luigi shrugged, and the rest of them entered the pipe as well.


	5. Introduction, Act V

Emerging from the red pipe, Peach's mouth opened wide. Infront of her lay a large, bustling city. Marketplaces and shops adorned the city streets. Several homes and apartments decorated the skyline. People were moving about and talking.

"Wow... this is such an amazing city!" Peach exclaimed, absorbing the sight she was seeing. Toadsworth appeared by her side, fumbling angrily

"Princess! You must not run off like that! You could be kidnapped–or worse!" he snapped, scolding the princess coldy. "But the city is indeed marvelous." he added, glancing at Koka City.

"Wowee!" Luigi marveled, exiting the warp pipe behind his brother. Starlow was right behind.

"This is it, huh?" Starlow said, flying ahead of the group. "We gotta hurry and find someone who can help."

"Yeah, you're right! There has to be somebody who can help us." Mario agreed, gesturing to his brother. The two plumbers led the group towards the entrance of the city.

Finally entering Koka City, they were greeted with the sight of what seemed to be a plaza. A fountain, flowing with water, sat in the middle, and several shops and houses were placed around it. Many civilians continued their lives as normal, however many shuffled uncomfortably as they were still grieving with recent events.

The group was interrupted by a shouting voice, "Hey! You five!" A female toad with pink spots dashed towards them, skidding to a stop and panting exhaustively. Starlow had to fly back as she nearly crashed into her. "Woah, watch it!" the Star Sprite snapped, glaring angrily at the newcomer. "Are you really the famous Mario and Luigi?" she asked, both excited and shocked. Mario raised an eyebrow, before nodding.

"It's-a me, Mario!" he proudly yelled, performing his signature jump into the air. Luigi took the hint and followed, doing his own jump just the same. "And me, Luigi!"

"That jump... you two are really the world famous plumbers, huh?" the toad realized. Mario sheepishly grinned and Luigi couldn't help but smile boldly. "It seems your duties to the princess and the Kingdom have really given you boys a reputation, eh?" Toadsworth chuckled, congratulating the two heroes.

"Please, follow me!" the toad asked. She grabbed the plumbers' arms and began dashing towards a blue mushroom house. "Dr. Toadster wants to see you!" she declared. The two frantically tried to not trip over.

"Do you know who this Dr. Toadster is, Mario?" Peach asked, trying to keep up with the running toad. "Your guess is as good as mine," Mario admitted. He had heard and seen many doctors before, but never heard of a 'Dr. Toadster'. And why did he want to see them? They had barely arrived at the city, much less the island itself.

"Maybe he's the guy who can help us," Starlow suggested. Finally, the pink toad burst into the building still pulling the two brothers, and suddenly came to a halt. Mario nearly fell over, and gasped as his reflexes prevented him from doing so. Luigi didn't fare as well as Mario had, falling flat on his face with a groan.

"Dr. Toadster! I found them! I really did!" the toad cried, running forth into another room. Mario used this time to inspect the room he was currently inside. It resembled a medical clinic, with several cots and medical supplies lying about. The room seemed eerily familiar, in fact. Luigi finally stood up, and dusted himself off, rubbing a sore point on his nose.

"Mario! Luigi! Are you guys okay?" Starlow asked, finally catching up with the two. Mario gave her a thumbs-up, while Luigi could only grumble. Peach and Toadsworth came in right behind her, and bombarded the brothers with the same question.

"Aha!" shouted a loud voice from the room beyond, startling everyone. A figure emerged from the room, causing Mario to gasp. A toad with a purple cap had appeared, embedded with white stars instead of spots, wearing a purple cloak around his body. "Dr. Toadley?!" Mario gasped, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was not hallucinating. Starlow and Luigi were surprised as well, leaving mostly Toadsworth extremely confused.

"No. You speak of my eccentric brother, who resides in Toad Town! I am Dr. Toadster, all-knowing resident and best doctor of Koka City! My appointed intern Toadessa seems to have found you lot wandering the streets!" he revealed, motioning to the sheepishly smiling pink toad. "Heheh... sorry for being so sudden, but Dr. Toadster said it was urgent!" she confessed, shly rubbing the back of her head.

"So what's going on? Why did you need Mario and Luigi here?" the mushroom princess asked. Dr. Toadster only chuckled. "Ah, yes. Please follow me to my room, I will explain everything." The toad crept back into the doorway of the room he had previously exited from. "He seems kind of creepy..." Luigi nervously admitted, edging close to Mario. "Oh, don't be such a baby. Dr. Toadley helped us, remember? And this guy's his brother. He's bound to assist us as well." Starlow scoffed, and began flying towards Luigi. She started pushing him first towards Dr. Toadster's room, causing the green plumber to freak out. Mario decided to step in, and gave his brother a reassuring smile. Luigi finally took a deep breath and nodded, taking the first steps towards the doorway.

The room Luigi entered was covered in purple and a mysterious violet, making up most of its color palette. Yellow and white stars adorned the wallpaper, resembling the night sky. In the middle there was a table, covered in a purple loincloth. Above it sat a crystal ball, shining in the room's dim lighting. Behind the ball stood Dr. Toadster, waving his hands around the crystal ball gently, his eyes glued to it. The rest of the crew filed into the room behind Luigi, and it was then that Dr. Toadster's glare shifted towards the group.

"Ah. You are all here. Now, let me explain," he began, dusting off his precious crystal ball, "I'm sure you're aware of _recent events_ that have occurred on this island."

"You bet! We saw the whole thing while flying in the air!" Mario answered, the previous fright experienced in the plane still fresh in his mind. "It was indeed awful! Thank heavens that the Princess was unharmed throughout the whole ordeal," added Toadsworth, sighing in relief.

"Yes, I know." Dr. Toadster stated, finally done messing with his crystal ball, "You see, I knew you were all headed this way long before you arrived!" He twirled his hands around the ball, causing tiny white sparkles to appear around his fingers, and the crystal ball began glowing. An image inside eventually materialized, revealing itself to be a vision of Peach's plane, and everyone inside it. The group watched with awe as past events were replayed right infront of their eyes. "This is just like Dr. Toadley's clinic, isn't it?" Starlow remarked, remembering their plight through the Mushroom Kingdom to defeat Fawful and the Dark Star. The three of them winced as painful memories resurfaced, but were quickly put away once again.

"My brother and I's family have been experts in this field for over a millenia. He informed me of your previous adventure, and how you bravely saved your land from certain demise!" he commented, smiling proudly throughout his speech, "When I saw the five of you arriving here in Haya Island, I knew you all were the best bet to saving our homeland."

Mario still felt a little confused, "So uh... what caused the entire island to, y'know, break up into pieces?!" he said, raising an eyebrow at the toad. Dr. Toadster hushed Mario, and gestured him towards a few seats sitting in the backside of the room.

"Sit down, now, what I'm about to tell you may take a while." he announced. As everyone took their seats, save for Starlow, who just hovered in place, the lights of the room began to dim down, and the crystal ball once again began to glow. Suddenly, a new image cast itself from the ball, and a scene began to play.

"Listen closely. Civilization has existed on this island for thousands of years, and life here was flourishing. Frequent harvests, generous rainfall, and a general lack of enemies allowed the people of this land to coexist peacefully. That is, until one day, when a great evil threatened the lives of those fair citizens. With its corrupt magic, it could take over the minds of animals and people alike, pitting them against those who fought for good. Growing desperate, the might of the Star Sprites was called in, and together they sealed away the evil darkness that plagued Haya Island." he began, the image on the crystal ball following his words. Starlow brightened at the mention of the Star Sprites, it was her species, after all. Dr. Toadster paused briefly, before continuing:

"In order to prevent another disaster at this scale, the wise Star Sprites contained their combined powers in one central location, the Star Temple! Legend says it is located somewhere in the center of this island, but no one has ever found it since the Star Sprites created it. Their force is so powerful, that even today I myself cannot locate it. Anyways, if such power were to be destroyed, or worse, harnessed, then the sealed corruption could once again be released, threatening the world once more."

"Weird, I've never heard about any of this when reading Star Sprite history," added Starlow. She received a bonk from Toadsworth's cane, "Do not interrupt him, miss Starlow!" The yellow star sprite was about to give Toadsworth a piece of her mind, but a look from Mario caused her to cease her efforts. "Ahem!" Dr. Toadster snapped, returning the attention to him. Once everyone's eyes were upon him, he continued his explanation:

"Unfortunately, something _has_ gone wrong. Something... or someone, has broken the seal in the Star Temple, causing a major fluctuation of lingering corruption. This has resulted in a massive catastrophe for the island. It has been split into five chunks, and a scourge of evil has already been released. Hold on one second," Dr. Toadster stopped, and scurried towards one of his many bookshelves. He pulled out a thick, old book, and quickly blew dust off of it. Frantically flipping through several pages at once, he finally stopped on one specific page. "According to this ancient book, the Star Sprites power contained inside the Star Temple was placed inside the Star Crystal, large and powerful star containing all of the magic used to contain the corrupted evil. It says here that if the Star Temple's seal should be broken, a self-defense mechanism placed by the Star Sprites would trigger, and cause the Star Crystal to shatter itself into five pieces. If those five pieces are united, however, then its power could be fully harnessed, and the sealed-away evil would be released to destroy this world." he read, closing the book suddenly and returning to his place behind the crystal ball.

"Then it is as I feared. If those Star Crystal pieces fall into the wrong hands, then the world is surely _doomed_." Dr. Toadster declared, shocking the entire room.

"But we don't even know anything about this island!" Luigi cried, already beginning to worry.

"Looks like yet another world is threatened by the forces of evil," Peach sadly admitted.

"I just wanted to have an actual vacation for once..." Mario mumbled to himself.

"I am glad fate has chanced us to be meeting in such a critical time," admitted Dr. Toadster with a grin, "Mario, Luigi, flying yellow ball, and friends. Haya Island needs your help to save all five Star Crystal pieces, and prevent the island from becoming a corrupted hellscape! Will you partake in this journey to rescue this land?"

"Hey! I'm not a flying yellow ball!" Starlow argued, "I have feet! And a star above my head!"

"I don't think we have much of a choice, huh?" Mario remarked. "We can't just let these people suffer... we have to help them!" added Luigi, standing tall and brave, posing heroically.

"You're right, bro. We've saved the world before, and we're gonna do it again!" Mario declared, performing his signature jump once again.

"So it's settled then." Peach said. Starlow finally stopped bothering Dr. Toadster and replied, "Huh? Oh yeah, sure, I'm up for it!" The yellow star sprite did a twirl around to show her commitment.

"Excellent, excellent!" the Toad doctor cheered, "Now, I suppose you all need some directions, hmm?" he spun his hands around the crystal ball, and it once again began to glow. This time, a large hologram materialized above the crystal ball, allowing everyone around to view. It was a map of Haya Island, however it matched the island's current geography, as shown by the large gap between the five continental chunks, and the sea water enveloping it. It seemed that the ocean was quick to move in to the newly exposed territory. Dr. Toadster pointed to the southernmost chunk.

"This is where we are, the Hayan Green Grasslands!" he announced. "Now, let me uncover the location of the first Star Crystal piece..." Dr. Toadster began spinning his hands around his crystal ball, and mumbling a few lines of gibberish.

"Ah... yes..." he softly spoke, "It is clear to me now. The first Star Crystal piece is in... Palmville! A small town just north of here." The location of Palmville was marked by a glowing yellow dot on the hologram map.

"Well then, what're we waiting for? Let's-a go!" Mario exclaimed, already moving towards the way out. Dr. Toadster had other plans and abruptly stopped Mario midway.

"Not so fast! To reach Palmville you will pass through the Palm Palm Forest! It is full of creatures, worsened by the initial release of corruption I spoke about earlier. Koka City has many stores and shops. If you brought any coins, you can purchase some gear before you leave."

Everyone emptied their pockets for any coins, leading to a grand total of 68 coins. "That-that's not very much," Luigi admitted, looking down at the floor.

"It's enough for a couple items," Peach reassured, handing the coins to Mario. He secured the money in his pocket.

"Now you are ready to leave. The fate of Haya Island is in your hands!" Dr. Toadster said, beckoning their leave. "Good luck!" The group of five left his room, and reentered the clinic area.

"Alright guys, let's head out!" Starlow announced, flying towards the front door.

"Actually Starlow, I'm not going to be able to accompany you all." the princess stated, looking dejected.

"What? Why not, Princess?" Mario asked, a look of concern on his face.

"I still have my royal duties to perform," she replied, "I must tell the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom that my absence will be extended."

"We understand, Princess." Starlow assured her, "Don't worry about us, we'll be back with that crystal piece in a jiffy!" Peach gave a weak smile.

"I know, I know. Good luck, Mario, Luigi, and Starlow!"

"Her royal highness will be under my watch and supervision," declared Toadsworth, "As long as she is with me, nothing bad shall occur to her!"

They began to split ways, with Peach and Toadsworth heading in the opposite direction.

"Wait! When you find the first Star Crystal piece, we'll meet back at Dr. Toadster's place, got it?" The three of them nodded in agreement. "Good luck then, you lot!" she encouraged them, waving bye.

"Now... which way are the shops at?" Mario asked. His brother immediately entered reconnaissance mode, and began eyeing every direction.

"Over there!" the green plumber exclaimed, excitedly pointing towards the marketplace. "Nice work, bro!" Mario complimented. Mario pulled out his coins and began heading towards the closest shop, a red hut with a sign displaying a mushroom.


	6. Introduction, Act VI

The Dark Lord Methias sat in his fortress of evil, contemplating his next course of action, when he was interrupted by one of his minions.

"What is it now, Koro?" Methias asked impatiently. Koro tried his best to look calm and strong in front of his master.

"W-well, there's been an issue in the collection of the Star Crystal..."

"Spit it out, then!" the Dark Lord snapped, thrusting a finger towards Koro. The minion nearly lept out of his feet in fear.

"It seems that... the Star Crystal split itself into five after you broke its seal. Now every piece has been flung to a different location around Haya Island, my lord."

Methias rubbed his chin, formulating a new plan: "I see... Well then, change of plans! I command you to locate and bring me the five Star Crystal pieces! Relay my order to the others." he demanded. Koro bowed and replied, "Of course, my lord. I will not disappoint you!"

With that, Koro sprinted out of the room, fearful of what Methias could say next.

The Dark Lord only gave a grin with sharp teeth. "With the Star Crystals in my grasp, I can release and harness the full power of the locked away corruption!" A loud cackle escaped from the dark fortress, causing nearby crows to fly away.

Mario spent his 68 coins on buying some Mushrooms, a couple bottles of Syrup, and three Herbs. "Well, that's all the money," Mario repeated, holding the purchased items.

"We can live off of that," Starlow said, storing the items inside the _Star Menu_. "Which way is the path to Palmville?" Luigi asked. Mario pointed at a passing Shy Guy, "Let's just ask around."

Mario approached the Shy Guy, tapping on his shoulder. "Excuse me sir, could you tell us which way is Palmville?"

"Palmville? You'll have to cross the city gate, it's just that way," he replied, pointing to the right direction. "Thank you!" Mario answered, waving the group to the aforementioned gate. Beyond the gate lay a dirt road into the distant forest. The issue, however, was a goomba blocking the gate. The goomba had a police cap on.

"Uh, hello there. Can we possibly be able to get past this gate?" Starlow asked the goomba, flying over to him. The goomba eyed the three suspiciously, not sure what to think of them. "Sorry folks," he replied, "The recent disaster caused the number of monster attacks to reach peak levels. I'm afraid I can't let anyone leave until its safe out there."

"But we have to! It's really, really important!" Mario pleaded, cupping his hands together. "Yeah! We're brave enough to venture out there!" Luigi added. The goomba gave them a stern glance.

"Sorry, but I ain't budging from this spot!" he answered.

"Ugh... We have to create some sort of distraction to lure him out of there." Starlow concluded. Suddenly an idea went off inside Mario's head. He quietly revealed his plan to Luigi and Starlow.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Luigi nervously asked. "Of course it is! Don't worry, just do what I told you earlier!" Mario assured him, smiling sheepishly. "This is the best you could've come up with? Starlow relented, mentally facepalming herself. "Alright, get ready!" Mario ordered, running off to hide behind a tree.

Luigi grabbed Starlow, and began yelling: "Haha! I uh.. captured you! Give me all your money! _Sorry..._" The goomba at the gate heard Luigi and finally noticed what was going on. Starlow sighed, "Oh no, please help me. I'm being robbed." she said, sounding as sarcastically as possible.

"Hey you! Let go of her!" the guarding goomba demanded. Luigi jumped at his booming voice, then realized it was his cue. He held onto Starlow and ran into a nearby alleyway, with the goomba right behind him. Hiding behind a few cardboard boxes, the goomba ran right past them. He quickly and quietly made his way back to the gate and to Mario.

"Good job guys! The gate is all open now." Mario gave them a thumbs-up. "Did it really have to involve me?!" Starlow snapped. Luigi finally let go of her, and she flew on ahead angrily. Mario only chuckled at this. The three exited Koka City through the gate entering the Green Grasslands.

The path ahead was a light road made out of dirt. A lush forest was visible ahead. The clear sky and shining sun reassured the three about their journey ahead. Entering the forested area, Luigi began to hum a song. Mario relaxed and shut his eyes. _This isn't so bad. It's so quiet._ Mario abruptly stopped. _Too quiet..._

"Why are we stopp-" Starlow began, interrupted by Mario's glove, shushing her. The faint rustling of leaves could be heard. Mario tensed as he prepared for the worst. Luigi quivered and fearfully held his arms out. Starlow put a look on determination on her yellow face.

Suddenly, a figure jumped out of the bushes, landing in front of the trio. Mario's eyes bulged outwards in surprise. "That's it?" Starlow asked, unconvinced, "It's just a Goomba!" Starlow was right. It indeed was a simple brown goomba. But something looked... amiss about it.

"It's not just a Goomba!" Luigi pointed out, stammering, "L-look at its eyes!" Indeed, the Goomba's eyes were the main source of problems. Instead of the usual white with black pupils, the white was replaced with a darker shade of color, nearly purple. Even worse, some of that color seemed to be leaking below the goomba's eyes. Before the Bros. had another chance to examine the strange goomba, it hissed and opened its mouth in fury, revealing its fangs.

"Let's-a go!" Mario exclaimed, readying his fists. Luigi followed his brother, albeit much less confident and prepared. "Okie dokie!" he replied, taking a deep breath. The goomba, as if on cue, charged towards the pair, beginning their first battle.

"Do you two still remember how to fight?" the Star Sprite asked, preparing another tutorial. Mario nodded, "Don't worry Starlow, we haven't forgotten!" She nodded her head in acknowledgement, and flew behind the brothers. Mario prepared for a leap, taking a few steps back. He dashed towards the Goomba and jumped, fist high in the air. The red plumber managed to stomp on it, but was surprised at how abnormal the impact felt. The Goomba felt stronger, even sturdier, than previous ones. Whatever caused its eyes to turn purple had made it much more powerful as well.

Noticing it was his turn, Luigi also took a hop at the goomba, landing on it with all his might. Jumping backwards, he had felt the same sturdiness as Mario had. "Is it just me or is that Goomba stronger?" he asked his shorter brother. "I felt it too. Something happened to this goomba, that's for sure," Mario replied.

Waiting for its time, the strange Goomba took a few short steps back, before furiously charging towards Mario. The plumber grinned as he easily hopped over the attack, chuckling at how easy it was. But he wasn't ready for the Goomba to come back running with the same force and speed, knocking Mario down onto the dirt. He groaned as he struggled to lift himself up, brushing dirt off his overalls.

"Forgot how to dodge, have we?" Starlow scoffed, a sly grin on her face. "Shut it... normally these guys don't run this much." Mario responded, feeling irritated. He wished he had his hammer so he could flatten that goomba into a pancake.

After a few more well-timed jumps the brothers successfully defeated the Goomba. It staggered backwards before running back into the woods, dropping a few coins and a herb in its wake.

"I hope we don't see anymore of these guys," the Star Sprite admitted. "You're telling me!" Mario continued, wiping sweat off his brow, "These goombas are tough.

Continuing their walk, they did not come across any more strange goombas but were much more attentative nonetheless.

Approaching a clearing, they spotted an old billboard sign, stating in bold letters: "PALMVILLE". This inspired the trio to hurry forward, excited to finally reach the town.

In the clearing was a large stonebrick wall, surrounding what presumably was Palmville itself. A wooden gate sat in front of them, but trouble was present. A stack of those same, purple goombas were actively trying to form a tower in order to enter.

"You there! Get away! It's not safe!" A panicked Koopa yelled, standing at the other side of the gate, along with a few other nervous citizens, trying to prevent the Goombas from succeeding.

Before anyone could make a move the goomba tower turned around and growled at the group, before ensuing a chase.

"RUN!!" Luigi shouted, already bolting away, Starlow and Mario just behind. Luigi quickly headed to the direction of an old, dilapilated shed; he hoped to use it as shelter.

Throwing the door open for him, he made sure to close it shut after his companions entered. A loud _Thunk!_ was heard outside, as the goombas slammed into the door. The sole window was boarded up, fortunately, preventing the goombas from breaking inside.

"Huff... unff.. phew, I think we're safe for now…" Mario panted, his legs aching and his head throbbing.

"Hopefullt these goombas can't eat through wood," Starlow commented. A series of whirrs and clicks got Mario's attention. "Hey, do you hear that?"

Before anyone could answer him, the floor beneath them trembled. It suddenly began to move downwards, bringing the three with it.

"This is bad, this is really, really bad!" Starlow yelped, as a panel from the wall extended outwards, replacing the air where they had once stood with flooring. The platform finally stopped moving after it had descended a few floors. Two cylinders with glowing red lights extended out from the wall, observing the trio.

Luigi held on to Mario as his brother prepares himself for a fight. The strange cylinders released a couple of clicking noises, before retracting back into the wall. A new panel opened infront of them, revealing an unexpected but friendly face

"P-professor E. Gadd?!" Luigi exclaimed, taken completely by surprise. The old scientist greeted his former assistant and brother. "Welcome Mario brothers, and- a star sprite?"

"I'm Starlow, pleased to meet ya!" she chirped, glad to have found an ally of Mario, and not more of those pesky Goombas.

"Fascinating... this is definitely fortunate. C'mon into my lab, I'll explain more inside!" he motioned with his hands, beckoning them through the entrance.

E. Gadd's lab was full of research and analytical equipment. Paper and microscopes littered several tables, and strange machines whizzed and hummed. In the corner of the main room was a large cage built out of reinforced steel. Inside was yet another of the purple goombas, which was currently biting the cage in a desperate attempt at escape, yet to no avail.

"You don't have any ghosts this time, do you?" Luigi questioned, glancing for any Poltergusts he could borrow. The professor simply chuckled, "Don't fret, Luigi! I am not here to study ghosts, atleast, for now." This only slightly reassured Luigi, who signed in relief.

"Anyways, let me welcome you to one of my several laboratories! This recent crisis on Haya Island has opened up many new scientific opportunities, and I could not resist the chance!" he explained, watching the trip marvel at the sheer amount of mechnical and technical devices inside the lab.

"I apologize for the unexpected welcome, my lab is frequently attacked by feral goombas, and I could not risk any attempts," he shyfully admitted.

Mario decided to ask E. Gadd, "So I take you're studying the goombas we found in the surface?" He pointed towards the cage. The goomba hissed in response, eyeing daggers at E. Gadd.

"Astoundingly correct! The devastation of the island has affected many of its inhabitants too! Some

sort of evil energy is radiating from the center, infecting and turning any unfortunate victims into the brainless but tought monster you saw earlier."

"How do we stop the entire island from being infected, or even ourselves?" Starlow added, unwilling to suffer the same fate as the trapped goomba. "I'm glad you asked, because that's where YOU come in, Starlow!" the professor exclaimed, grabbing and draggin the Star Sprite to another room. Mario and Luigi shrugged and followed behind.

E. Gass began hooking up a few sensors to Starlow: on her body and her yellow star. She hovered uncomfortably as a result. "Are you sure this is painless?" Professor E. Gadd shook his head, replying: "It is completely safe, do not worry yourself," pushing a button on a remote control, he continued, "All Star Sprites, including you, have this energy in their spirit known as 'Star Power'."

Starlow scoffed at his explanation, followed up, "Yeah, I know. This is basic Star Sprite stuff! We used Star Power to eliminate several enemies like the Dark Star way long ago." E. Gadd adjusted his glasses, unbothered by her comment.

"Your Star Power is key to curing the inhabitants from this corrupt curse. I am checking to see if you hold the required amount, however, as it is quite a lot of evil energy to combat," he continued, and just as he finished his remote controller released a series of dings and flashinglights. "Aha!" he cheered, "The results are in! Just in time. Now let's see..."

He began inputing a few digits on a calculator, before redirecting his attention to Starlow, who had wriggled free of the sensor attached to her body.

"Unfortunately, Starlow, you do not possess the enough amount of Star Power to cure even that goomba in the othe room." This immediately infuriated the yellow star, who took this as an insult: "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Luckily, I was prepared for this moment! I have, at my disposal, an item that will permanently increas your maximum Star Power to the required amount! Luigi, if you will." the old professor pointed towards a gray box on the other side of the room. The gree plumber obliged and handed it to E. Gadd.

He pulled a small vial out of the box, and spilled its contents-small yellow particle-like dust, over Starlow. "Now, these cost a ton of Star Bits and stardust, so I only have one. It should suffice for now, hopefully." he nervously chuckled.

Starlow waited for a couple of seconds, but noticed no effect. "Uh, is something supposed to ha-woAH!" Her star began glowing a fabulous yellow, causing the brothers to shield their eyes away. Starlow felt like she was reinvigorated, after waking up from a deep slumber or eating a 1-Up Shroom.

"I feel.. AMAZING!" The glowing lasted for a bit longer, before things returned to normal. E. Gadd was massively overjoyed, and he took them back to the main room. "Fantastic! You also learned the, as I call it, Cure Ability! Concentrate your energy on the goomba, thinking of pure and good thoughts. With enough focus and power, you can eliminate the corruption of any foe!"

Starlow nodded and faced the encaged goomba. She closed her eyes and focused as hard as she could. Mario and Luigi watched in excitedness as her star once again began to glow (not at the same intensity as previously), and a beam of light energy radiated off of it, striking the purple goomba. It wriggled and writhed in pain as it felt its corruption being forced out.

As her energy beam faded, a cloud of purple flew out of the goomba-whos features had returned to their regular state- and dissipated into the air. "W-where am I?" the cured goomba stammered, confused and frightened by the situation. Professor E. Gadd released him and tried to calm him down.

"Wow... I had no idea I could do that!" Starlow gleefully admitted, "This'll make our journey a ton easier!" Mario agreed. Those tough goombas could just be cured, and they wouldn't have to fight at all!

The professor reached the trio once again, with a face of slight worry. "There are a few things I have to make you aware about the Cure Ability. First of all, it is not always guaranteed to work on the first try. Some enemies can't be cured until they are weakened enough. Second, more Star Power is needed depending on the foe's size and strength," he explained, glancing at the still-dazed Goomba, "So for now you will only be able to zap small enemies." Starlow nodded, taking in what E. Gadd had said.

"That is all for now, good luck on your journey! Oh, and if you don't mind, get rid of those goombas up on the surface, will ya?" The brothers gathered their belongings and joined Starlow on the elevator back to the surface. E. Gadd gave one last wave before the mechanism activated. The platform came to life as it rose upwards at a steady pase.

"Well guys, I think we're finally ready to take on the goombas near Palmville. Then we can continue our quest to find the first Star Crystal piece. Back to adventure!" the yellow Star Sprite exclaimed. Mario and Luigi glanced with puzzled looks on their faces.

"What? I just felt like it was a cool phrase," she responded, raising an eyebrow. Mario shrugged, and opened the shed door.


	7. Chapter 1, Act I

Princess Peach sat in Dr. Toadster's clinic room, writing a letter. She carefully slipped it into a pink envelope and handed it to a waiting yellow toad. "Take this to my plane, return to the Mushroom Kingdom, and read it to the Kindgom. It has my seal of approval, so everyone will know I wrote it." The yellow toad accepted the letter and saluted, "Yes, your Highness! Right away!" The toad sprinted out of the clinic, towards the pipe leading to the airport. Toadsworth glanced out the door, and turned back to the Princess.

"Well Princess, that has been taken care of. I'm sure the toads back home can continue your royal duties during your absence," he affirmed, "Now, what do you say we explore the city? I could go for a cup of tea!" Peach got off her seat and walked towards Toadsworth. "That's a wonderful idea, Toadsworth. It would be quite lovely to get some of our vacation done. I just hope Mario and the others are alright..." she gulped, worried for their well-being. "I'm absolutely positive they'll be alright. Now, enough worrying! Let's get started," the elderly toad insisted. Peach nodded and exited, giving a quick wave to Toadessa on her way out.

The two toured the city, passing by several shops and displays. It wasn't until they reached a long and narrow street that Peach began to feel a sense of dread. She carefully peeked at a nearby alleyway. Three hooded figures were on the other side, in a quiet conversation with each other. The princess, gaining suspicion, decided to try to eavesdrop them.

"..yeah..searching...lookin for.. star crystals..." was all she could make out. These three were looking for the Star Crystal pieces! She couldn't stop herself from gasping. Three pairs of eyes turned in her direction. "Uh oh..." The three figures approached her menacingly. The middle one spoke up, "Well, well, well, seems like we've got an eavesdropper in our midst! I hope you know we don't take kindly to rats like you."

Peach looked around for a moment, and shrugged. "Who exactly are YOU guys anyways?" The middle one laughed again, his voice rough and stern. "We're the loyal minions and servants of the Dark Lord Methias! You may call us the 'Hood Legion'!" he boasted. Peach raised an eyebrow. "Dark lord whom? Hood Legion?" she questioned, completely out of the loop. The left figure suddenly piped up, "We're also looking for the five star crystal pieces!" The middle one facepalmed and slapped his comrade. "You weren't supposed to say that, Fayston! The left figure, supposedly called Fayston, quickly apologized, "Sorry Koro, I forgot... again."

"Anyways, as I was saying- WHERE'D SHE GO?!" Koro demanded, noticing that the mushroom princess had vanished. She dashed out of the alleyway, and grabbed Toadsworth. The Hood Legionnaires were hot on her tail, furious for being ditched that way. "What is the urgency, princess?!" Toadsworth implored, barely able to hold on. "No time to explain, just run! We need to find the Mario Brothers as soon as possible!" Peach shouted. Toadsworth nodded and reached into his pockets, presenting a banana peel. "I trust your judgement Princess! Now for these blokes, tally-ho!" he yelled, tossing the peel on the floor behind him. Koro, Fayston, and the third figure fell right into Toadsworth's trap. Their fleet slided and slipped, and their bodys came tumbling down on the floor together.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Koro exasperated, stuck in a pile of his companions. Peach and Toadsworth successfully escaped his sight.

Mario, Luigi, and Starlow exited E. Gadd's shed. The Goombas were gone, having returned to try to break down the village gate. The Bros. moved in, ready to attack. There was exactly ten infected goombas. "Hey! Goomba idiots!" Mario shouted, taunting them. The goombas turned around and growled when they saw Mario again. They charged at the duo, prepared to battle.

"Let's-a go!" Mario yelled, once again positioning himself.

"Okie dokie!" Luigi followed, not as composed as his brother. Starlow hovered behind, ready to use the Cure Ability. The goombas came in one large group every turn, forcing Mario and Luigi to jump amost non-stop. Jumping on one and then on another in quick succession seemed to be a good strategy.

Starlow realized one of the goombas looked a bit woozy. She smirked as she powered up, blasting it with a pure beam of star energy. The goomb resisted but ultimately failed to stop its curing.

"Huh, wha..." it stuttered, just as confused as the goomba in E. Gadd's lab.

Mario lost his balance and missed his jump, being hit by three goombas in a row. He felt weak, all the air sucked out of his lungs. "Mario! Catch!" Luigi tossed a mushroom at the red-clad plumber, who caught it in his open mouth. Scarfing down the item, his health immediately recovered back to its full state. "Thanks bro!" he smiled, turning back to their opponents.

By this point several more goombas were exhausted and weak. Starlow didn't hesistate before curing all of them. Soon, only one remained. Realizing it was a hopeless situation, it began charging a desperate last stand, turning slightly red from all its fury. It charged at both brothers at once, catching them off-guard. It even made an attempt to tackle Starlow, who quickly flew out of the way.

The brothers had fallen on the floor due to the attack, and were extremely vulnerable. Realizing this, the goomba prepared to finish them off. "Oh no you don't!" the Star Sprite declared, firing a beam of Cure Ability at the goomba. Her force held the goomba in place, but it was not being cured just yet. Starlow focused extremely hard, beginning to sweat a little. Her energy was dropping quickly.

Mario finally got up, and realized what was going on. He performed a finishing hit on the resisting goomba, knocking it unconscious. Starlow was able to finish her attack, and the goomba returned to normal, still fazed however.

"Phew, we did it..." she panted, exhausted after the fight. Mario and Luigi had to sit down in order to recover their strength. With the threat gone, the Palmville gate finally opened. Several citizens came out cheering, excited to finally be free. One in particular, a senior Koopa Troopa, with a white beard, approached the trio.

"Oh thank you, heroes! You've saved Palmville!" he said, expressing his gratitude. "It was-it was no big deal..." Luigi replied, out of breath.

"Oh, it was awful! We were trapped inside the town because of those... things! They almost got in too!" the mayor cried, still shooken up by things. "Please, come inside."


End file.
